KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q83583: Windows 3.1 Does Not Allow Swap File on Stacker Drive

Article: Q83583
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.0,3.1,3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): win31
Last Modified: 24-OCT-1999

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.1, 3.11 
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

Microsoft Windows versions 3.1 and 3.11 and Microsoft Windows for Workgroups
versions 3.1 and 3.11 do not allow a temporary or permanent swap file to be set
up on a STAC Electronics Stacker drive or a RAMdrive. To illustrate this, follow
the steps below:

1. Run the Control Panel.

2. Choose the 386 Enhanced icon.

3. Choose the Virtual Memory button in the 386 Enhanced dialog box.

The Virtual Memory option shows nonstacked drives only.

MORE INFORMATION
================

With Windows 3.0, you can set up a temporary swap file on a Stacker drive. By
default, Windows 3.1 or 3.11 or Windows for Workgroups 3.1 or 3.11 does not
allow this. The following two problems occur if you attempt to put a temporary
swap file on a Stacker drive in Windows 3.1 or 3.11 or Windows for Workgroups
3.1 or 3.11:

- Windows cannot be certain how much space is available because of the Stacker
  compression software.

- Swap files may fragment the Stacker drive in a short amount of time. If you
  must use Stacker, use version 2.0. By default, Stacker 2.0 leaves only 1 MB
  of non-stacked hard drive space available. This is not enough space for a
  swap file.

Run the Stacker 2.0 SDEFRAG.EXE /G command, and decrease the size of the Stacker
drive to free additional non-stacked drive space. For more information on this
command, refer to your Stacker manual, or contact STAC technical support.

The following are additional suggestions:

1. Use the SDEFRAG command to make 10 MB of nonstacked hard drive space
  available.

2. Create a permanent swap file of 6 MB.

3. Leave 4 MB free and point the SET TEMP variable there.

RAMdrive
--------

Setting up a swap file on a RAMdrive is not an efficient use of resources. If you
have a software package that requires a swap file, you must use real,
uncompressed hard drive space with 512 byte sectors.

The products included here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft;
we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance
or reliability.


KBCategory: kb3rdparty kbenv
KBSubcategory: win31 winmem

Additional query words: 3.10 RAM drive 1024 SCSI non-stacked stacked non

======================================================================
Keywords          : win31 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbWFWSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin300 kbWin310 kbWin311 kbWFW310 kbWFW311
Version           : WINDOWS:3.0,3.1,3.11

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.